Method of producing a cathode-ray tube and apparatus therefor

Abstract

At least an effective region of the face of a panel of a cathode ray tube is held within a vacuum chamber. After the vacuum chamber is hermetically sealed from the outside of the vacuum chamber, a thin film is formed on the face of the panel by using a film-forming means.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube, comprising: 
       providing a vacuum film forming apparatus including:  
       a chamber having an upper open end, a first exhaust port, and a second exhaust port, the first and second exhaust ports having valves connected thereto and arranged below the upper open end,  
       a gate valve positioned between the first and second exhaust ports,  
       a hermetic sealing device arranged on a side of at least the upper open end of said chamber, and  
       a film-forming device arranged within said chamber;  
       closing said gate valve to partition said chamber into a first region having the upper open end and the first exhaust port, and a second region having the second exhaust port;  
       evacuating the second region of said chamber through the second port;  
       mounting a faceplate of a cathode ray tube on said upper open end of said chamber through said hermetic sealing device, said faceplate of said cathode ray tube being downwardly arranged,  
       evacuating the first region of said chamber to a vacuum state through the first port;  
       opening said gate valve;  
       forming a thin film on said faceplate by using said film forming device;  
       closing said gate valve;  
       opening said gate valve connected to the first exhaust port to break the vacuum state within the first region of said chamber,  
       unloading said cathode ray tube from said chamber; and  
       mounting an additional faceplate of another cathode ray tube on said upper open end of said chamber through said hermetic sealing device, said additional faceplate being downwardly arranged; and  
       repeating said evacuating the first region, said opening said gate valve, said forming a thin film on said face plate, said closing said gate valve, said opening said gate valve connected to the first exhaust port, and said unloading said cathode ray tube from said chamber.  
     
     
       2. The method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  1 , wherein hermetically sealing the chamber is carried out by using hermetic sealing device selected from the group consisting of an O-ring, a hollow O-ring, and a tong-shaped packing. 
     
     
       3. The method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  1 , wherein said thin film substantially constitutes an anti-reflection film. 
     
     
       4. The method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  1 , wherein said thin film includes an anti-static layer. 
     
     
       5. The method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  1 , wherein said thin film is of a multi-layer structure. 
     
     
       6. The method of manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  5 , wherein said multi-layer structure includes a zirconium oxide thin layer and a silicon dioxide thin layer. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube, including a vacuum film forming apparatus, comprising: 
       a chamber having an upper open end, a first exhaust port, and a second exhaust port, the first and second exhaust ports having valves connected thereto and arranged below the upper open end;  
       a gate valve positioned between the first and second exhaust ports so as to partition said chamber into a first region having the upper open end and the first exhaust port, and a second region having the second exhaust port;  
       a hermetic sealing device arranged on the upper open end of said chamber, through which a face plate of said cathode ray tube is mounted on the upper open end of said chamber, said faceplate of said cathode ray tube being downwardly arranged; and  
       a film-forming device arranged within said chamber.  
     
     
       8. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein said hermetic sealing device is selected from the group consisting of an O-ring, a hollow O-ring, and a tong-shaped packing. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein said thin film substantially constitutes an anti-reflection film. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein said thin film includes an anti-static layer. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein said thin film is of a multi-layer structure. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  11 , wherein said multi-layer structure includes a zirconium oxide thin layer and a silicon dioxide thin layer. 
         13 .The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein said film-forming device includes a plurality of movable film-forming sources. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube according to claim  7 , wherein a plurality of said vacuum film-forming apparatus are arranged.